Broccoli cranberry salad is a simple and flavorful dish loaded with crispy bacon, smoky cheese, and crunchy sunflower seeds. Tossed in a tangy, herby dressing, this easy salad gets even better as it sits. Perfect for gatherings or weeknight dinners, it can also double as a meal with the addition of rotisserie chicken.
I love broccoli salad and I have no idea why I’ve kept this recipe to myself for so long! It’s one of my favorites, and I’m finally sharing it with you. Better late than never, right?
Here is Why This Salad Recipe Works
Packed with flavor: Smoky Gouda, crispy bacon, and sweet-tart cranberries. Let’s just say this salad doesn’t mess around when it comes to flavor. Get ready for some serious crunch!
Make-ahead friendly: The longer it sits, the better it gets. Perfect for when you want all the flavor without the last-minute scramble.
Simple customization: No Smoky Gouda? No problem! Swap in cheddar, Gruyere, or whatever cheese you’ve got hanging around.
A meal in itself: Toss in some rotisserie chicken, and you’ve got a broccoli salad that pulls double duty as dinner.
The Ingredients
- Meat: Bacon
- Produce: Broccoli florets, red onion, lemon
- Pantry: Roasted sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, dried dill, dried chives, dried parsley
- Dairy: Smoked Gouda cheese, buttermilk (or milk)
- Condiments: Mayonnaise, sour cream
Recipe Variations
If you’re looking to switch things up, these simple tweaks to the ingredients will give your salad a whole new vibe.
Carrot Almond Broccoli Crunch: Replace the crunchy seeds with sliced almonds and toss in 1 or 2 shredded carrots.
Apple Cheddar Broccoli Salad: Replace the dried cranberries with diced apples and use sharp cheddar instead of smoked Gouda.
Greek Broccoli Salad: Sub in feta cheese for the Gouda, toss in a handful of kalamata olives, and toss in some toasted pine nuts for a Mediterranean flair.
If you love this recipe, check out our apple cranberry kale salad or any of our other salad recipes.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips to make this easy broccoli salad.
- This salad gets better as it sits, so make it a few hours ahead or even the night before for maximum flavor.
- Chop the broccoli small and make sure it is in bite-sized pieces which makes the salad easier to eat.
- Customize the cheese. No Smoky Gouda? No worries! Try using cheddar, Gruyere, or even Pepper Jack.
- If you prefer a thinner dressing, just stir in a little extra buttermilk or milk until it’s the consistency you like.
- It is so easy to customize the ingredients. Swap the lemon juice for red wine vinegar, use ham instead of bacon, swap the mayo or sour cream for greek yogurt… so many possibilities.
Storage
To store leftover salad, place it in an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. The flavors will continue to develop, but the bacon and seeds (or nuts) may lose some of their crunch, so you can add fresh toppings before serving if desired.
We don’t recommend freezing the salad so dig in while it’s fresh!
The Ultimate Make-Ahead Salad
This broccoli salad has everything: crunchy, creamy, savory, and sweet in one bowl. Great for potlucks, meal prep, or even as a main dish with chicken. It’s even better made ahead!
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Cranberry Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 6 cups broccoli florets cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 1 cup shredded Smoked Gouda cheese
- 1 cup roasted sunflower seeds
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 8 slices cooked bacon crumbled
For the Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup buttermilk or milk
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried dill (or fresh)
- 1 tablespoon dried chives (or fresh)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley (or fresh)
Instructions
- To a large salad bowl, add the broccoli, onion, cheese, sunflower seeds, dried cranberries and bacon. Toss to combine and set aside while making the dressing.
For the Salad Dressing:
- Place the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, sugar lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Stir in the dill, chives, and parsley.
- Pour ½ of the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour before serving for flavors to mellow. Just before serving, toss with additional dressing if needed.
Notes
- If you don’t have Smoky Gouda, try sharp cheddar, Gruyere, Munster, or even Pepper Jack. Any semi-hard cheese will work well.
- For a great meal salad, add 2 cups of chopped rotisserie chicken to the salad.
- This salad gets even better after it’s had time to sit, so making it a few hours ahead or even the night before will allow the flavors to meld nicely.
- For extra crispy bacon, cook it in the oven on a wire rack set over a baking sheet at 400°F for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- If you prefer a thinner dressing, add a little more buttermilk or milk until you reach your desired consistency.
